


when the dust settles

by gublerlover



Series: Marvel Oneshots [3]
Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Hurt Peter, Hurt/Comfort, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 03:44:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14511825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gublerlover/pseuds/gublerlover
Summary: {IW SPOILERS}“Mr. Stark—I don’t want to go-Please-“ Peter lost his balance, falling into Tony’s heavy arms. He thought about last time they hugged.“We aren’t there, yet.”Were they ever going to get there now?





	when the dust settles

**Author's Note:**

> INFINITY WAR SPOILERS
> 
> so this was a crappy thing I wrote when I left the theater bc I was in emotional pain ,,, enjoy
> 
> unedited

Peter was crying, he didn’t want to, but he was crying. He wasn’t meant to do this, he was optimistic, Tony would fix this, Dr. Strange would fix this.

Except they can’t.

They aren’t strong enough to fix this.

(Peter never thought he would say that about Tony.)

So here he was, being held in Tony’s shaking arms. Here he was, fading into oblivion.

“Mr. Stark—I don’t want to go-Please-“ he lost his balance, falling into Tony’s heavy arms. He thought about last time they hugged.

“ _We aren’t there, yet.”_

They’ll never be there now.

Tony held his breath. It should’ve been him. It should’ve always been him. This kid doesn’t deserve all the bullshit he gets.

“Peter, it’s okay, I’ll fix this. I’m going to fix this, alright buddy?” He croaked, eyes watery and head pounding. He couldn’t watch this.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away, though. He couldn’t. This was his kid, dying, crumbling, fading away in front of his own two eyes. He should’ve fixed this. He should’ve saved _him_.

He couldn’t save him.

“Mister Stark, please, I can’t go—please, don’t make me go—“ Peter whimpered, eyes glossy, skin clammy. A tear glistened down the side of his cheek as the clouds seemed to look larger on this fucking death planet.

The air seemed to be getting thin.

Tony would sacrifice all the air in the world to save Peter.

He should’ve sacrificed everything to save him.

“It’s okay, just—“ Tony frustratedly rubbed a tear off his face, red and glazed. “just let go. It’ll be okay, Peter. I’ll win for you. I’d sacrifice the world to get you back.”

“Please—Stark.” He shudders. “Please save yourself.”

Tony choked, swallowing a heavy lump in his throat and pushing his heavy heart out of his stomach. “Don’t worry ‘bout me, buddy. It’ll all be okay.”

Peter nodded and looked up, one final time, with all the love and trust he could muster. He pushed it all out, and into Tony, with the faulting tears dripping from his eyes. “Please—“ He said, before fading away.

“Peter—“ Tony collapsed over he land Peter was just lying on. He gripped the sand and dust, heaving in heavy breaths of the indifferent planet air.

He sobs became distant and distraught over a period of an unknown time. (He couldn’t feel anything right now. Is Pepper alive? Happy? Aunt May? Steve, Bucky, T’challa?)

_Is he even alive?_

————————————

Something happened.

Peter was back, running his hands over his suit in a rushing manner. “Tony? What’s going on?” He asked, eyes glaring around the new ground.

“Tony?” He prodded again, after the man was left speechless. Tears still glistened down his weary face. Peter stood, legs shaking, and made his way over to Tony.

Before the kid could start talking, he was enveloped in tight arms, and a hand scruffily held in his hair. He could feel the older man’s beard against his neck. (The hug was everything he wanted it to be.)

“I’m so proud of you, Peter. I’m so proud.”

“A-Are you okay?”

And then Tony pulled away, rubbed a hand over his face, and huffed. “Of course. Always am. Now let’s find a way to get home.”

Peter didn’t know exactly what happened, but he didn’t need to. All he needed to know is that it’s fixed, and he’s alive.

-  
In a spaceship Nebula and the guardians managed to scrounge together, Peter sat laying on a makeshift couch.

Tony still felt the grief of Peter’s death, even if he was right here. He still could hear his cries, even if he was right here. Peter could sense that, and took it upon himself to hug his mentor again.

“It’s okay, Mr. Stark. I’m still here. I’m fine,” The young boy said.

Tony nodded unwillingly.

“I’m sorry, kid. I should’ve protected you better.”

“No! I’m sorry! I should’ve watched your back more, you could’ve gotten hurt, and I’m just a kid, I don’t matter. You’re Tony Stark, man! You change the world everyday. I could never weigh anywhere close to that.” Peter rambled, eyes lighting up just like the first time he went into the lab.

“Listen, kid. You’re so important, don’t forget that. You touch hundreds of peoples lives everyday, I’m just the backup. You’re the heart of the city. How about when we get home, you can help me in the lab with your new suit?”

Peter nodded eagerly and Tony threw another jab at him. “And what did I tell you about calling me Tony?”

-

Tony’s eyes still water over the fact he just had a dream about wanting kids, a day before feeling the closest thing he had to a son slip away in his own hands.

Tony still tears up when he hears Peter’s distressed voice, feels his clammy hands, and watches his watery eyes in his dreams.

He still remembers the ache it felt to lose Peter, if only for a second.

Never will he forgot the empty world without Peter Parker.

 

 


End file.
